At the end of January, the leadership of the Republika Srpska signed a one-year contract with the American lobbying firm McGinnis Lochridge LLP, worth about three million BAM. It is a continuation of earlier cooperation, and according to data from the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the firm will provide legal and political advice in relation to international law, especially in the context of obligations from the Dayton Peace Agreement, writes detektor.ba.
Tasks include communication with American officials, members of Congress and international organizations such as the United Nations, OSCE, European Union and Council of Europe. From the beginning of 2026, the RS hired the company Lucas Compton LLC, with a contract worth almost a million BAM, with the aim of shaping messages towards the American administration, Congress, the media and the public.
According to FARA data, out of 16 registered entities from Bosnia and Herzegovina that lobby in the USA, 14 of them work in the interest of Republika Srpska.
The lifting of sanctions and the new dynamics of relations
At the end of October 2025, the Office for the Control of Foreign Assets of the US Ministry of Finance removed from the list of sanctioned President of the RS Milorad Dodik, Željka Cvijanović and 47 other persons and entities. This was followed by visits by RS officials to the United States and meetings with American officials.
After one of the visits, Dodik stated that both public and private talks were held and repeated the position that the Dayton Agreement had “collapsed”, stressing that he is not giving up on his political goals. Professor of international relations Miloš Šolaja believes that a new dynamic is visible in the relations between the RS and the USA, which is also reflected in the level of interlocutors from the American side.
Controversial contract and criminal charges
The contract with the Canadian firm Dickens & Madson, led by Israeli-Canadian lobbyist Ari Ben-Menashe, caused special controversy. According to the media, the value of the contract is four million dollars, and the promotion of the right to self-determination of the RS and initiatives related to the position of the high representative are mentioned as goals.
Because of that contract, a group of representatives filed a criminal complaint with the BiH Prosecutor’s Office. Representative Saša Magazinović claims that entity representative offices do not have the authority to conduct foreign policy and that there is suspicion of illegal spending of budget funds.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković stated that the Ministry reacted to Canadian and Austrian institutions, pointing out doubts about the legality of financial transactions.
Lobbying in an election year
All activities take place on the eve of the US mid-term elections and in the year of preparations for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4, 2026. According to analysts, such events open up space for political networking, but also raise the question of the real scope of lobbying.
Diplomat Branko Nešković warns that it remains unclear what the specific goals are and what the final price will be for the citizens of RS. In his opinion, part of the activity may have a primarily domestic political purpose.
And while the RS authorities claim that the open door in Washington is the result of a strategic approach, critics point out that the effects of lobbying will depend primarily on the direction of American foreign policy and the outcome of the upcoming elections.
